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Børge Brende

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Børge Brende
Brende in 2024
President and CEO of the World Economic Forum
In office
23 October 2017 – 26 February 2026
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
16 October 2013 – 20 October 2017
Prime MinisterErna Solberg
Preceded byEspen Barth Eide
Succeeded byIne Eriksen Søreide
Minister of Trade and Industry
In office
18 June 2004 – 17 October 2005
Prime MinisterKjell Magne Bondevik
Preceded byAnsgar Gabrielsen
Succeeded byOdd Eriksen
Minister of the Environment
In office
19 October 2001 – 18 June 2004
Prime MinisterKjell Magne Bondevik
Preceded bySiri Bjerke
Succeeded byKnut Arild Hareide
Member of the Norwegian Parliament
In office
1 October 1997 – 30 September 2009
DeputyLinda Hofstad Helleland (2001–2005)
ConstituencySør-Trøndelag
First Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party
In office
10 April 1994 – 29 March 1998
LeaderJan Petersen
Preceded byJohn G. Bernander
Succeeded byInge Lønning
Leader of the Young Conservatives
In office
26 June 1988 – 24 June 1990
DeputyElisabeth Aspaker
Jan Tore Sanner
Preceded byTrond Helleland
Succeeded byJan Tore Sanner
Personal details
Born (1965-09-25) 25 September 1965 (age 60)
Odda Municipality, Hordaland, Norway
PartyConservative
SpouseTorild M. Brende
Children2
Alma materNorwegian University of Science and Technology

Børge Brende (born 25 September 1965) is a Norwegian politician and diplomat. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2017, Minister of the Environment from 2001 to 2004 and Minister of Trade and Industry from 2004 to 2005. He was a member of the Norwegian parliament from Sør-Trøndelag from 1997 and 2009. He was the president and CEO of the World Economic Forum from 2017 to 2026.[1] He resigned from the WEF on 26 February 2026 in light of the Epstein files controversy.[2],[3][4][5][6]

Early life and family

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Brende was born on 25 September 1965 in Odda, Norway. He is the son of Knut Brende, an engineer, and Kari Wesche. He has a younger sister named Urda. The family moved to Trondheim when Brende was two years old. Brende was a Boy Scout. He worked in his family's business from a young age.[7]

Brende starting learning politics at the age of 14 under Marvin Wiseth, who later became mayor of Trondheim. He studied briefly in the United States at the age of 15. He soon joined the Norwegian Young Conservatives and became its politcal secretary, first deputy leader, and finally leader in 1988.[7]

Brende has a degree in economics, law and history from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway.[8] He graduated in 1997.[7]

Brende raised two sons with his wife, Torild.[7]

Career

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Brende in 2008

In January 2008, Brende joined the World Economic Forum as managing director in charge of relations with governments and civil society.

In 2009, Brende joined the Norwegian Red Cross as Secretary General.[9]

He re-joined the World Economic Forum in 2011 as managing director.[10][11]

Minister of Foreign Affairs (2013–2017)

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In October 2014, Brende – in his capacity as Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) – co-hosted the Cairo Conference on Palestine, an international donor conference on reconstructing the Gaza Strip, which generatecd $5.4 billion in pledges.[12]

In 2015, Brende negotiated an interim agreement among Norway and the other coastal states in the Arctic including Canada, Denmark (on behalf of its territory of Greenland), Russia, and the United States, that prohibited commercial fishing in the international waters of the Arctic.[13]

In January 2016, Brende was appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the High-level Advisory Group for Every Woman Every Child.[14]

As Foreign Minister of Norway, Brende normalised diplomatic relations with China, after ties had been set back in 2010 following Chinese anger over the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize being handed to imprisoned Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo (1955–2017).[15]

World Economic Forum

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Brende meeting with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev

On 15 September 2017, it was announced that Brende will be the president and CEO of the World Economic Forum from mid-October 2017.[16]

As President and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Brende promoted the idea of a Group of Three to include China, India, and the United States in 2023.[17]

Brende resigned from the World Economic Forum on 26 February 2026, in light of the Epstein files controversy.[18][19] He stated that he had decided to step down as President and CEO of the WEF after careful consideration, and that he believed it was the right time for the Forum to continue its "important work without distractions".[19]

As of February 2026, Swiss authorities were investigating whether the World Economic Forum had broken the law by paying around 19 million NOK to CEO Brende in salary. This was 3 million NOK more than he reportedly earned the previous year.[20] The reason why salaries can be problematic is that WEF as a non-profit organisation is tax-exempt, and that excessive remuneration to board members or managers of non-profit foundations could potentially be considered illicit enrichment.[20]

Contacts with Jeffrey Epstein

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Brende was in contact with Jeffrey Epstein from 2018 to 2019. His communications with Epstein were published by the U.S. Department of Justice among 3 million pages of material per the Epstein Files Transparency Act on 30 January 2026.[21] Before this release, Brende denied meeting Epstein.[22] Brende later said he did not know of Epstein's crimes, and that they only met at three formal dinners over two years.[23][24][25]

Brende appeared alongside Steve Bannon and Norwegian diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen in a picture that Epstein sent in April 2018. [24] In 2019, after the WEF and the United Nations signed an agreement, Brende visited Jeffrey Epstein.[26] Brende also garnered controversy by suggesting the World Economic Forum could replace the United Nations in his communications with Jeffrey Epstein.[27][28]

Brende said that in 2019, when Jeffrey Epstein was arrested, he had informed the World Economic Forum about their contacts Klaus Schwab rejected Brende's claim that he had informed WEF, and said legal action was considered.[29][30]

Brende said he was unaware of Epstein's crimes but replied with a thumbs up emoji after Epstein sent a link documenting his sentence.[31] Brende claimed he was "completely unaware" of this link and never opened it. Communications between Epstein and Brende also show them ridiculing the wife of Benjamin Netanyahu, Sara Netanyahu, calling her "Miss Piggy". Brende said he did not remember these messages.[32][28] Brende stated in November 2025 that he had "nothing to do with Epstein".[22] The Epstein Files showed that they had exchanged 120 messages and met on several occasions.[28][33] Brende has frequently amended his explanations faced with new evidence of his communications with Epstein.[34][5]

In February 2026, the World Economic Forum started an independent investigation of Brende as president and CEO. The goal of this investigation was to clarify his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.[35][36]

Brende was criticized by former prime minister Erna Solberg.[37][37][38] She also stated that the Conservative Party did not share the idea that the World Economic Forum could replace the UN.[37] The leader of the Liberal Party, Guri Melby, called the communications with Epstein "grotesque."[38][37] She said: "Brende knew exactly who Epstein was and yet sits there eagerly nodding to his visions of global power. It's completely incomprehensible."[39][40]

Other activities

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International organizations

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Corporate boards

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  • Statoil, Member of the Board (2012–2013)
  • Mesta, Chairman of the Board (2009–2011)

Non-profit organizations

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Recognition

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Norway's Børge Brende joins World Economic Forum". World Economic Forum. 15 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-04-07.
  2. ↑ Skifjeld, Anne (26 February 2026). "Børge Brende går av som sjef for Verdens økonomiske forum etter Epstein-kontakt" (in Norwegian Bokmål). NRK. Archived from the original on 2026-02-26. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  3. ↑ "World Economic Forum boss Borge Brende quits after review of Jeffrey Epstein links". www.bbc.com. 26 February 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-02-26. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  4. ↑ "World Economic Forums tidligere leder med storslegge mot Børge Brende. Truer med rettssak". www.aftenposten.no. 5 February 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Børge Brende nekter for kjennskap til Epsteins «fortid»". NRK. 2 February 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-02-04. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  6. ↑ "Børge Brende nekter for kjennskap til kriminell bakgrunn". Dagbladet. 2 February 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-02-04. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Staff (19 March 2010). "Børge Brende". NRK. Archived from the original on 2026-06-23. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  8. ↑ "Børge Brende | Global Financing Facility". www.globalfinancingfacility.org. Archived from the original on 2025-04-24. Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  9. ↑ "Børge Brende blir Røde Kors-sjef". Aftenposten.no. 23 February 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-06-22. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
  10. ↑ "Norwegian Red Cross Chief to Join World Economic Forum". World Economic Forum. Archived from the original on 2015-01-13. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
  11. ↑ "Norway FM Brende named new World Economic Forum president". The Local Norway. 16 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  12. ↑ Michael R. Gordon (12 October 2014). "Conference Pledges $5.4 Billion to Rebuild Gaza Strip". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-06-24.
  13. ↑ Steven Lee Myers (16 July 2015). "Sea Warming Leads to Ban on Fishing in the Arctic". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-03-04.
  14. ↑ UN Secretary-General Announces Members of the High-Level Advisory Group for Every Woman Every Child Archived 28 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Every Woman Every Child, press release of 21 January 2016.
  15. ↑ Kolstadbråten, Inger Marit (19 December 2016). "Forholdet mellom Kina og Norge normaliseres". NRK. Archived from the original on 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  16. ↑ "Norway's Børge Brende joins World Economic Forum". World Economic Forum. Archived from the original on 2022-04-07. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
  17. ↑ Kumar, Manoj (28 August 2023). "India, China, and the U.S. Will Lead the New World Order". Archived from the original on 2025-03-22. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  18. ↑ Loe, Isak Løve Pilskog; Ali, Intisaar (26 February 2026). "Børge Brende trekker seg som sjef i WEF". VG.
  19. 1 2 Skifjeld, Anne (26 February 2026). "Børge Brende går av som sjef for Verdens økonomiske forum". NRK. Archived from the original on 2026-03-06. Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  20. 1 2 Kværnes, Martin (3 February 2026). "Sveitsiske myndigheter ser nærmere på Brendes lønn". DN.no. Archived from the original on 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  21. ↑ "Office of Public Affairs | Department of Justice Publishes 3.5 Million Responsive Pages in Compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. 30 January 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-02-01. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  22. 1 2 "I november avviste Børge Brende kontakt med Epstein. Så kom dokumentene". www.aftenposten.no. 2 February 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  23. ↑ Glørstad, Venke (2 February 2026). "Børge Brende om sitt forhold til Epstein". NRK. Archived from the original on 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  24. 1 2 "Børge Brende spiste middag med Epstein". e24.no. 31 January 2026.
  25. ↑ Vartdal, Ragnhild (2 February 2026). "Dette er Jeffrey Epstein sitt norske nettverk". NRK (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  26. ↑ Elías, Foto: UN Photo/Manuel (10 February 2026). "Børge Brende skrev under avtale i FN. Senere dro han hjem til Epstein". www.aftenposten.no.
  27. ↑ Ask, Mathias (3 February 2026). "FN avviser Brende og Epsteins Davos-utsagn". TV 2. Archived from the original on 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  28. 1 2 3 Bø, Emma; Jordheim, Hans M.; Ro, Hans Jørgen Myrvang (5 February 2026). "Brendes meldinger med Epstein: «Missing you Sir»". E24.
  29. ↑ Wig, Karl; Gjerstad, Tore; Kværnes, Martin (5 February 2026). "World Economic Forum-grunnleggeren hardt ut mot president Børge Brende". DN.no. Archived from the original on 2026-02-05. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  30. ↑ Røsvik, Eirik; Johnsen, Alf Bjarne (5 February 2026). "WEF-grunnlegger hardt ut mot Brende". VG. Archived from the original on 2026-02-05. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  31. ↑ "Dokumenter: Brende og Epstein diskuterte Davos, kvinne og overgrepssaken". TV 2. 31 January 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-02-01. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  32. ↑ "Brende spiste middag med Epstein i 2018". dagsavisen. 31 January 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-02-07. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  33. ↑ "Forsker om Epstein-avsløringene: Elitepersoner bør være tydelige på å innrømme feil og fortelle alt de vet" [Researcher on the Epstein revelations: Elite individuals should be clear about admitting mistakes and telling everything they know]. www.forskning.no (in Norwegian).
  34. ↑ "Men ikke i Genève!". e24.no. 7 February 2026.
  35. ↑ "WEF überprüft Verbindung seines CEO Børge Brende mit Jeffrey Epstein". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF). Archived from the original on 2026-02-11. Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  36. ↑ Wearden, Graeme (26 February 2026). "World Economic Forum CEO quits after Epstein links examined; Ineos Quattro earnings fall – as it happened" – via www.theguardian.com.
  37. 1 2 3 4 "Solberg om Brendes kontakt med Epstein: – Åpenbart uklokt". www.finansavisen.no (in Norwegian). 1 February 2026.
  38. 1 2 Hegland, Vemund (1 February 2026). "Fremstår åpenbart uklokt". Dagbladet (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  39. ↑ Schjønberg, Snorre (1 February 2026). "Melby om Brendes kontakt med Epstein: – Groteskt". TV 2. Archived from the original on 2026-02-01. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  40. ↑ "Brende og Epstein tekstet om kona til Netanyahu: «Miss Piggy»". TV 2. 1 February 2026.
  41. ↑ Board of Governors Archived 2017-06-06 at the Wayback Machine Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
  42. ↑ Board of Governors Archived 2009-11-16 at the Wayback Machine Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World Bank Group.
  43. ↑ Board of Governors Archived 2009-11-16 at the Wayback Machine World Bank.
  44. ↑ Steering Committee Archived 2014-05-21 at the Wayback Machine Bilderberg Group.
  45. ↑ Strategic Committee Archived 2022-05-21 at the Wayback Machine Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA).
  46. ↑ Board of Directors Archived 2020-06-22 at the Wayback Machine P4G – Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030.
  47. ↑ Europe Policy Group Archived 2018-11-03 at the Wayback Machine World Economic Forum.
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